2008 Chevrolet Malibu Video

The 2008 Chevrolet Malibu is being heralded as the vehicle that can help save the Big Three from their current slump, and well, after getting some seat time in the new Malibu, we’d be inclined to agree.

The 2008 Malibu is wrapped in a neatly styled package with a price that can’t be referred [...]

2008 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT Limited - A Wolf in Billy Goat’s Clothing

Starting this article is tough. There is no way to properly set my reader up for the surprise I experienced lately without sounding contrived or hucksterish. This experience came behind the wheel of Subaru’s Outback wagon, specifically the 243-hp 2.5 XT variant with the 2.5-liter turbocharged ‘boxer’ four and all-wheel-drive.

When I heard that [...]

2007 Dodge Charger Police Package: The Bad Boys Get an Even Badder Toy

Change is afoot on the highways of the United States, and drivers across the country may soon have to adapt the connection between their eyes and their right feet to a new silhouette.

The Dodge Charger is mounting a challenge to Ford’s Crown Victoria for the title of supreme police cruiser, and it’s a mighty strong [...]

2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid Video

Though the 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid is only available in the eight states that have accepted the California Emissions standards, the Altima Hybrid is desirable to those who just want to save money on ever-rising gas prices. If getting 43 city/36 highway isn’t enough of a bargain, the $2,350 tax credit on the 2007 [...]

2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4×4 Video

The 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4×4 is still one of the best off-road vehicles, even with its upgrade to four doors. Our tester came with the optional 4-speed automatic transmission and skid plate (only an $845 upgrade), perfect for the off-road enthusiast. The engine is a 3.8L V6 with 202 horsepower at [...]

2008 Nissan Altima Coupe First Drive

You may be wondering why Nissan is bothering to launch a new car (the Altima coupe) into the auto market when they are already doing so well. The warranty claim rate on Nissan vehicles has dropped 60% in the past two years. The company hopes to launch a 3-liter, Nissan-original hybrid that gets [...]

Another Giant Leap for Hyundai: The 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe

No car company has taken bigger strides over the past decade than Hyundai. Formerly a manufacturer of small, dowdy cars that were both uninspiring and uncertain, the Korean automaker has transformed itself into a powerhouse, a paragon of reliability and value.

Hyundai is still establishing itself, and its models have been finding their respective niches [...]

2007 Mazda CX-7 First Drive

At first, we weren’t particularly interested in the announcement of an all-new crossover SUV–the 2007 Mazda CX-7. A new car-based ‘ute is about as rare as a Hollywood wedding. Mostly, they’re ungainly, unexciting vehicles that trade the stability and light weight of a car for extra cargo room and ground clearance that nobody uses. [...]

2006 Saab 9-3 Aero: Quirky for Quirky’s Sake-And Why Not?

Saab has been something of a whipping-boy in the automotive press; paired up with BMWs and Audis and other sporty Euro-makes in comparison tests that the brand’s basically predestined to lose. After all, Saab never really was about all-out European-style driving sublimity-even if the brand’s current owner doesn’t really get that.

GM picked up Saab in [...]

Renewed Assault - Hyundai Azera Declares War on the Near-Premium Segment

Toyota’s Avalon, Buick’s LaCrosse and cars of their ilk have just been put on notice. Hyundai, the South Korean brand that has blasted its way into the economy car and small SUV segments–after a total 180 from their early days of disposable Excels–is at it again. The new target is the sub-$30K near-premium class, and [...]

Improving on an Original: All-New ‘05 Mazda MX-5 Miata

It was this reporter’s birthday, and one of the last weeks of warm sun and late days–the kind of week that just begs for a fun car. Perhaps it was kismet that the all-new Miata–the newest version of the car that practically *invented* fun–was in our driveway. Perhaps it was the pleading emails we sent [...]

2005 Ford Mustang GT Convertible: High Speed Fun in the Sun

Ford Mustang: always an American icon, it was entirely redesigned and re-engineered for 2005, becoming by all accounts one of the best new cars of the model year and an outstanding sporty-car sales success - the likes of which Ford Motor Company hasn’t seen since the original, 41 years ago. We love the Ford Mustang. [...]